AMBITIOUS Castleford Tigers have completed the signing of New Zealand international back-row forward Sione Faumuina from the North Queensland Cowboys.
The 27-year-old has agreed a one-year deal with the Tigers for 2009 and becomes the club's third overseas signing after the capture of Rangi Chase and Dean Widders.
Faumuina has been a regular in the NRL since making his senior debut for the Canbe
rra Raiders in 2001, spending one year with them before moving back to his native New Zealand to join the New Zealand Warriors.
He spent five seasons with the Warriors before moving back to Australia in 2007, during which time he won two caps for the Kiwis in 2003 and 2004, before signing for North Queensland Cowboys.
Primarily a back-rower, Faumuina, who also had a three-game stint at Hull FC in 2005, has shown his versatility playing at stand-off on occasions this season for the Cowboys, but Tigers coach Terry Matterson views him as a forward.
Matterson said: "I'm very pleased to have got Sione on board for next year. He will bring us some real presence, he has the size and skill and plenty of experience at the top level in the NRL.
"When I was at Canberra we tried to bring him back to the club but he opted to stick with the Warriors.
"He is good with the ball, and can play five-eighth, but most of his career has been spent in the back row which is where we see him playing."
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